MANIFESTING EXPLAINED

Friend or Foe? The Pros & Cons of Cosmic Ordering!

Cosmic Ordering is not new by any stretch of the imagination. OK, the name 'cosmic ordering' might be relatively recent - coined by the late, and great exponent of manifesting, Barbel Mohr, who
authored at least seven books on this vast subject. But the idea of believing in a benevolent, universal force that can be tuned into and called upon to bring us our inner most wishes has been around
as long as the hills.

It came to prominence in America, when the Unity Church Organisation was founded in 1889 by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, as part of the wider New Thought Movement, which stated that you can change
your life if you alter your thoughts, your perception and vibration. These churches emphasised spiritual healing, prosperity, positive thinking and practical Christianity. Yet were accepting of
the truths inherent in all religions.

It was at a similar New Thought church - the First Church of Religious Science - in Manhattan, that Louise Hay, one of the modern world's most influential authors and public speakers on the law of
attraction, learnt, and then later taught, these transforming ideas, leading on to the publication of her first book You can Heal your Body.

Today the market is awash with a plethora of books from which to choose, all promising to help you manifest health, wealth and of course love. But does it all really work? And are there any
drawbacks in this? Well, looking at my own life, I can see times where I honestly do believe that I attracted an outcome - whether it was wanted or not - by either purposefully or
unintentionally focusing on it. Positive examples include getting into the world of media, as I mentally projected myself into my first big break long before I had the interview, and, on the negative
side, sabotaging relationships because of unconscious worries and fears about what might go wrong, which subsequently did. Also my house being burgled twice in one week (another long story) but I
attracted that without doubt!

I also began to question the benefit of cosmic ordering when a caller rang in when I was doing a radio show in Brighton, England, going on to say that she felt that it gave the false impression to
people that they had more control over their lives than they actually do! I asked what she meant, and she said that as a State Registered Mental Health nurse, she said that if people suffer from
depression or some other psychological disorder, then sending out an order to the Universe to improve your life, only for it not to manifest, could lead to further depressive anxiety and a feeling of
failure? - which I have to admit I thought was a valid point.

The Dalai Lama once said: "Don't be seduced by worldly values. Materialism does not foster the growth of morals, compassion and humility". And Lao Tzu, author of the Tao Te Ching
2,500 years ago said: "As long as your shallow worldy ambitions exist, the door cannot and will not open". So with so many books on cosmic ordering focusing on how it's almost our
birthright to expect abundant wealth and successes, should we be wary? Are you really expecting far too much here?

WHATS THE BIG SECRET ANYWAY?

The subject certainly benefited from a huge surge in interest when Rhonda Byrne exploded onto the scene when she made her compelling, high octane, drama filled DVD The Secret in
2006, featuring interviews with eminent spiritual authors, teachers and gurus about how to create fabulous, wealthy, healthy abundant new lives. But, whilst it helped spread new thought ideas to a
much wider audience, critics said the work was by far too simplistic and encouraged a materialistic, 'me me me' attitude.

One such critic was the late Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of over 50 self help development books, his last was titled
Wishes Fulfilled (Hay House). He said that: "The Secret taught people about a new kind of alignment - that if you put your attention span on something and align yourself with that
energy, you can attract virutally anything into your life. I was asked to be part of The Secret DVD, but I turned it down because I felt that it was missing so much. The emphasis was all on the
"what's in it for me?" mantra, whish as we all know is the mantra of the ego, where as the mantra of the spirit is more "How may I serve?" and not "what can I now have" mentality.

Dr Wayne Dyer also suggests that if you live a life of virtue - having reverence for the world and all its creatures,
being honest, seeking to be better than you used to be, practising kindness, and serving others - then the things you seek "will show up without you really having to do anything". He also
advocates 'non attachment', which is a Buddhist concept, in that when you 'cosmically order' from a place of relaxation, not pinning all your happiness on the outcome, this "gives you the freedom
to let go and, as you do this lo & behold, more shows up".

Striking the right balance!

Although his book, Wishes Fulfilled, is about 'mastering the art of manifesting', as promised on the cover, it moves away from the more simplistic ideals of manifesting and cosmic
ordering - the "What can I get for myself"? methods - to a more holistic model that says that you align yourself to live out your highest calling and "stay connected to your Source of being", which
includes changing your whole concept of who you really are, and fully mastering control of your imagination.

Like Dr. Dyer, Lynne McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiments and The Field, had grown sick & tired of the plethora of 'How Too' books on the market,
that all emphasised manifesting even more 'stuff' . People make the mistake of thinking they can send out a powerful, positive thoughts first thing in the morning about the car or the house
they want, and then the Universe will ignore everything else going on in their minds for the rest of the day, (but) if you send out that thought and the rest of the time you're thinking,
"Actually I am not good enough to get that", "I'm simply going to mess it up'. or "I can't really see this working to be honest"? The Universe hears all that stuff too
don't forget! That bigger message becomes your life intention, not the car/house thought you sent out first thing that morning.

Believing in the whole process is also a key factor in whether or not your wishes get fulfilled, she says. "It helps to believe in the process. But, If you really don't think that something is
going to work, and self sabotage yourself with negative self-talk, then it won't" says Lynne, adding that it all helps to dedicate a certain time and space in your home to conduct your cosmic
ordering, as this makes it more ritualistic then, and more effective. "You can get better & even faster results when you do it inthe same place. It's important also to get yourself into a highly
focused mind state; not one of being calmed down, but of feeling energised. You've got to send the intentions out from your heart chakra. And it pays to be specific too; we found intention works when
you are precise about what you want (not what you DON'T want)!

ESTHER & JERRY HICKS

Manifesting masters, Esther and the late Jerry Hicks, on whose work"The Secret" was actually based, echo
Lynne's sentiments about feelings and emotions; their main teaching is a reminder that you must find a way to feel good NOW, whatever your situation maybe, in order to manifest even better
situations. I know that is easier said than done, but that feeling of"I'm in the process of getting through this,
it will be done, all will be well"is the key element here in materialising your wishes.

"The reason that you want every single thing you want. is because you feel really good when you get
there"... says Esther in one of her channelled
messages from the Spirit collective Abraham (visit www.abraham-hicks.com to find out more). "But if you don't feel really good on your way to 'there', then you can't get there. "You will have to
be satisfied with 'what is' whilst you're reaching for more", she concludes, reminding us that adopting this attitude of gratitude is crucial.

Arielle Ford, another great exponent of positive thinking, and
author of "The Soulmate Secret" (HarperOne), agrees that "Gratitude is closely related to abunant thinking. If we are steeped in nothing but a lack mentality, we concentrate more
on what is missing from our lives, rather than what we actually DO have in it"!

So while the Law of Attraction certainly works it seems the keys to
success are: ......

(a). Believing in it whole heartedly without doubt, without
question

(b). Making sure that your positive affirmations far outweigh - and
preferably replace - any negative ones you have

(c). Not wait for your orders to be delivered before feeling good,
but to find reasons to feel happy now, regardless.

And finally, I would say that it helps to follow your bliss and just do the things
that you love, not necessarily always for profit but just to make a difference and something to make your heart chakra sing. In the words of the great manifesting guru Charles Barker .. "You can
certainly make money and be healthy, only when you are doing what you want to be doing".